Nick John

The Boston Red Sox are still recovering from the shocking revelation of Alex Bregman signing with the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. They'll attempt to pivot with around four weeks remaining until the team reports to spring camp. While they have made improvements through the trades of Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Johan Oviedo, the team still has some holes to fill, especially on offense. In an effort to understand where Craig Breslow and the front office may go from here, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo joined Talk Sox for an exclusive interview. We asked the Red Sox insider about Bregman, the relief market, the team's pitching depth, and much more. Here's a breakdown of the main points that were discussed, and we ask you to please stay tuned for the full video recording of our interview, coming out shortly after publication of this article. The relief market hasn’t moved as well as expected. While the big names came off the market and signed around the Winter Meetings, there are still plenty of options for the Red Sox to sign to a contract in the range of one year and around $2 million, or even on minor-league deals. If Justin Wilson chooses to pitch for another season, he could be a good option for a reunion. At the moment, it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of separation between the guys available and those currently in the organization. However, if someone the Red Sox really like is available, the closer they get to spring training, the more aggressive they may become. Currently, the bullpen is a big question mark outside of Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock, because of the losses of guys who had big roles like Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy. Also, guys who were in the bullpen at the end of the year like Payton Tolle and Kyle Harrison will begin spring training being stretched out to be starters. Of the free-agent right-handed options, Seranthony Domínguez could be a target for the Red Sox to pursue if they think they can rein in his control. It seems likely that the Red Sox will enter spring training with the plan to build out two full rotations who could be called upon between Boston and Worcester. It is much easier to decrease a pitch count instead of building it up. That way, the team won’t have to turn to guys like Matt Dermody or Kyle Barraclough if they run into an injury to their rotation or need someone from Triple-A. They’re in a good spot with starting pitching depth even after Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, and Cooper Criswell have been traded or lost. If the team eventually needs a good, high-leverage bullpen arm during the season, then they could look to transition someone from the rotation to the bullpen. At full strength, it’s currently tough to see any of the young guys or Kyle Harrison getting a spot in the rotation over Kutter Crawford or Patrick Sandoval to begin the season. Though it’s a big "if" for them to open the season completely healthy after both starters missed the entire 2025 season. The Red Sox underestimated how big of a stink Rafael Devers would put up over losing his position and then they underestimated how hard it would be to retain Alex Bregman after the season. Those two events came together and for a big-market team, you can’t allow that to happen. Cotillo feels that losing Bregman is very similar to how the Red Sox lost Xander Bogaerts to the San Diego Padres by underestimating the market and allowing a motivated team to come in and sign the player. The Red Sox could either remain focused on offense or pivot to pitching and defense, as raised by Rob Bradford. Cotillo believes the team will remain engaged on Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suárez to a lesser extent. The team could turn to the trade market too for Brendan Donovan or Isaac Paredes, who the team was engaged on before the Winter Meetings. From a pitching standpoint, they could go after Zac Gallen, Ranger Suárez, or Framber Valdez due to the starting pitching market not developing as many free agents hoped it would. Paredes, if the Red Sox looked to trade for him, could require a very similar deal to the Contreras package, which makes a lot of sense for a starting point in discussion. The Red Sox gave up Dobbins, Blake Aita, and Yhoiker Fajardo for Contreras, three young, controllable pitchers with upside. Paredes is a good fit for the Red Sox, as he’s under control for two more seasons, can play third base for the team and has power (20 home runs in 102 games last season along with an .809 OPS). But Cotillo wonders if the Red Sox want to keep trading away prospects after they’ve already traded so many this offseason. Lastly, for all those who follow along on Cotillo’s Twitter account, only a few spots remain for his latest workshop, though time is limited as it begins tonight (January 13) at 7pm EST. View full article

On the day before the team’s much celebrated Fenway Fest, Craig Breslow remained busy as he brought in more depth to the organization through a minor-league contract. Per SoxProspect’s Andrew Parker, the team has signed right-handed pitcher Seth Martinez. The deal also includes a non-roster invite to spring training. The 31-year-old provides Boston with another experienced arm as insurance for the bullpen that will most likely be kept in Worcester to begin the season. Martinez, who was drafted in 2016 by the then-Oakland Athletics, has spent parts of five seasons in the majors. The bulk of his time came from 2021 through the 2024 seasons as he appeared in 111 games out of the bullpen for the Houston Astros, tossing 137 1/3 innings. 2025 was a rough year for Martinez, as he bounced around on waivers going from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Miami Marlins to the Seattle Mariners and then back to the Marlins all before the start of the season. Martinez spent most of the year in Triple-A pitching for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp before getting added to the roster on August 27. In total, he made six appearances and tossed 6 2/3 innings. Miami would go on to designate him for assignment on September 11 and Martinez became a free agent on September 13. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox currently have a bullpen problem, at least when it comes to the lack of left-hand options available for manager Alex Cora. Currently on the 40-man roster, there are ten left-handed pitchers and, of those arms, eight are viewed as either being in the rotation or depth for the rotation in the event of an injury. Another is closer Aroldis Chapman. The lone player who doesn't fit either description may soon be a secret weapon for Cora as the season draws nearer. Jovani Morán was acquired from the Minnesota Twins on Christmas eve in 2024 for Mickey Gasper, a move at the time seemed to be rather small and inconsequential. Morán had missed the entire 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery in November of 2023 and there were no sure bets he would rebound and be more like his 2022 self (2.21 ERA, 54 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings) compared to his 2023 self (5.31 ERA, 48 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings). It was a risk worth taking, as Gasper was getting moved off the roster regardless. Morán ended up missing the first two months of the 2025 season while still recovering from surgery before finally beginning his rehab in June. His numbers were about what you would expect, making six appearances between the Red Sox Complex team and High-A Greenville and tossing 7 2/3 innings while allowing four earned runs. Upon being activated from the injured list, Morán was sent to Worcester, where he began to look like a potential weapon out of the bullpen. In his first 12 appearances there, he tossed 18 1/3 innings while allowing just seven earned runs and striking out 26 batters. That included a stretch of 7 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. With the Red Sox needing an arm, they selected his contract and added him to the active roster. His stint with Boston didn’t last long, though, as he appeared in just two games where he tossed four innings before spending the rest of the season with Worcester. However, Morán remained on the 40-man roster through the end of the season and while other left-handed options such as Chris Murphy and Brennan Bernardino have been moved in trades that brought back minor-league talent, Morán has remained. The left-hander, who relies on a four-pitch mix of a fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball, is out of options and will have to break camp with the Red Sox. While there is no guarantee that the team won't bring in another left-handed reliever, Morán looks likely to break camp as the middle-innings southpaw. For those doubting his upside, his recent stint in the Puerto Rican Winter League may be showing why the Red Sox kept him out of all their left-handed bullpen arms. Making 11 appearances out of the bullpen for Criollos de Caguas, Morán has gone 1-1 with an ERA of 0.82 across 11 innings. His fastball, which saw a drop in velocity while recovering from Tommy John surgery, is back to its pre-surgery velocity of 93-95 mph. In 2025, it routinely sat 92-94 mph (and with Boston it averaged 92.3 mph) so the slight increase is a welcome addition for Morán. Across his 11 innings, he has allowed just four hits while striking out 15 batters, flashing the potential that he showcased at the start of his career. Should Morán fully return to his pre-injury self, the Red Sox could have a dangerous weapon out of the bullpen. In 2022, batters hit just .172 against him, their OPS being just .490 as he struck out nearly 33% of the hitters he faced. Plus, throughout his career, he has managed to limit hard contact against him, rocking a career 27.4% hard-hit rate while batters have only managed to barrel up his pitches 5.1% of the time. Even the average exit velocity he allows is low, sitting at 85.7 mph for his career, which, across a full season, would have placed him near the very top of the league. At his best in 2022 and 2023, had he qualified, Morán would have been near the top of the league for whiff rate. The 2022 campaign saw him get just under 39% of whiffs on the pitches he threw, while 2023 saw that number drop slightly to 37%. Along with that, he’s fared equally well against right-handed and left-handed batters, which could allow Cora to mix and match when and where he’s used in the game. Morán may not seem it, but he could very well provide Cora with a key arm that could help bridge the middle innings to the back end of the bullpen, especially if a starter is struggling to get past the fifth inning. However, there is no telling what is going on in Craig Breslow’s mind as he shapes the roster over the remainder of the offseason. There’s still a lot of time between now and the start of the season, so plans could change. But the fact that the Red Sox held onto Morán could signal that they view him as an important piece of their bullpen puzzle in 2026 — and perhaps as the heir apparent to Justin Wilson's soon-to-be-vacated role as the set-up southpaw to Chapman. View full article

There’s no doubt that Craig Breslow and the Boston Red Sox failed to capitalize on the trade of Rafael Devers. The much-maligned trade has garnered mostly negative conversation from the fanbase, especially based on the return package the team received for their star slugger. While the relationship between the organization and Devers had become fractured and beyond repair, looking back it feels like the return has been a bit of a letdown. Of the four players who were part of the return package, one (James Tibbs III) has already been traded in a separate, failed trade, one (Jose Bello) won’t be close to reaching the majors for a few seasons, and the remaining two (Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison) have been mixed bags. Despite that, Harrison may prove to be both the most intriguing and important piece of the trade. At least for the immediate present. Harrison, who spent most of his time with Worcester after coming over in the Devers’ trade, made key changes to his pitch arsenal as he worked on a new changeup grip along with incorporating a cutter into his pitch usage. As always with a learning experience, there were ups and downs, but Harrison looked to have taken to the Red Sox approach, making 12 starts with Worcester and beginning to look closer to how he did as a rookie in 2023. Then, needing pitching help, in September the team looked to him, and he helped the team by pitching both out of the bullpen and making two starts (including the postseason clincher). Overall, in those three appearances he looked like an arm the team could look towards for 2026, tossing 12 innings and allowing just four earned while striking out 13 batters. However, with the additions of Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo along with the presence of young pitchers Connelly Early, Payton Tolle and David Sandlin, Harrison may not be needed for the rotation. With that in mind, many have wondered just what Harrison’s role will be. And considering the level of talent the team gave up acquiring him it wouldn’t sit well with the fanbase for the Red Sox to just cast him aside. Instead, Harrison’s role may actually be one that didn’t seem like a perfect fit at the start of the offseason. Placing Harrison into a swingman role similar to the one Kutter Crawford filled during 2022 and 2023 could be perfect for Harrison and the Red Sox at the moment. Currently the Red Sox have one guaranteed lefty in the bullpen in Aroldis Chapman while he’s likely to be joined by Jovani Morán, there’s nothing set in stone. Likewise, the team is expecting both Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval to return from their respective injuries but there’s nothing that guarantees they’ll return to their pre-injury selves immediately. While the Red Sox could plug in both Tolle and Early as left-handed options either in the rotation or bullpen, the team may rather have them open the year in Triple-A to continue their respective developments after seeing how the duo performed in September with the Red Sox. This is especially true for Tolle who, despite displaying a phenomenal fastball, needs more work with his secondary offerings. This is where Harrison steps in. Should the rotation need help he could fill the role of the fifth starter until another option becomes healthy and then be moved into the bullpen where he becomes a left-handed arm who can get right-handed and left-handed batters out while providing some length for manager Alex Cora. There are also many cases where the Red Sox could look to incorporate him as an opener who provides two to three innings due to a favorable matchup. The thought of Harrison not having a defined role may be a bit of a turn off for the fanbase, but his versatility between the rotation and bullpen and the flexibility it provides the organization could be rather helpful across an entire season. As everyone saw in 2025, the pitching staff you open the season with never makes it through the entire year. Instead, players will be asked to step up and fill various roles for the organization. Harrison already showed he can pitch both as a starter and reliever and after a full offseason of working with the Red Sox pitching lab on his pitch arsenal he could look even more comfortable in a swingman role. Harrison is still young, he won’t turn 25 until August, and the swingman role would be temporary until a permanent role in either the bullpen or the rotation is viewed as his final destination by the Red Sox. But for right now it would be a waste to have him rotting away in Triple-A for the 2026 season when he could be providing support to both the rotation and bullpen by bouncing back and forth between the two. Of course, as a pitcher it’s never that easy considering that as a starter he would need to be stretched out in order to throw five or more innings. You don’t want to risk injury by getting a pitcher used to tossing an inning or two and then asking them to go out and give the team five innings. Most pitchers need time to be stretched out, work their pitch count up so that they can comfortably throw deeper into games. With that in mind, it would make more sense to keep him stretched out in the beginning, being the fifth starter or a long reliever who gives the team multiple innings until the team decides on a path for him for the full season. Even as a reliever, he could easily be slotted in as an opener for several games and provide three or even four innings depending on what is needed from the team. There’s no doubt the Devers’ trade will never be viewed in a positive way, but Harrison has a chance to make it look not as bad as it currently does. Like everything in baseball there’s no guarantee, but should Harrison take the foundation he built in 2025 with the Red Sox organization and run with it he could turn into a key piece of their pitching staff for 2026 and beyond. View full article

The Boston Red Sox have yet to sign a free agent to a major-league contract this offseason, but at least the team has remained engaged with several free agents. Currently,the team has a lack of left-handed relief options and with that in mind, the Red Sox have been linked to options such as Danny Coulombe, Tim Mayza, and Cionel Pérez as reported by MassLive's Chris Cotillo. The Red Sox currently have nine left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster, but of them only three are currently viewed as relief options, and one is closer Aroldis Chapman. With just Jovani Morán and Tyler Samaniego as potential left-handed relievers for 2026 following the trades of Chris Murphy and Brennan Bernardino, it is only natural the team is looking to improve its reliever situation. Of the three relievers the team has been linked to, Coulombe is the most attractive option despite a late-season meltdown with the Texas Rangers. Coulombe split the 2025 season between Minnesota and Texas, appearing in 55 games and tossing 43 innings as he finished with a 2.30 ERA. To finish the season, Coulombe pitched in 15 games for Texas after being traded, but struggled as he walked nine batters in 12 innings while allowing three home runs. Should Coulombe pitch closer to how he did in Minnesota (and with Baltimore in 2023 and 2024: he struck out 90 batters in 81 innings while walking just 17) he would slot in immediately as a high-leverage weapon out of the bullpen. Both Mayza and Pérez had less successful seasons in 2025. Mayza pitched in just 15 games split between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, tossing 16 2/3 innings and striking out 15 batters. The lack of appearances was due to a lat strain that cost him a good portion of the season. While healthy, he had an 87th percentile extension at 6.9 feet, a trait that the Red Sox have been interested in the past couple seasons. He also is a ground ball pitcher and could do well if the Sox continue to improve their infield defense. Pérez struggled in 2025, appearing in 19 games with Baltimore while tossing 21 2/3 innings. In that span, he struggled with his command, allowing 18 walks. Pérez was designated for assignment in late May and spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Norfolk where his struggles continued. In 22 1/3 innings, he walked 19 batters and finished with a 6.85 ERA. While he had a 16.4% walk rate with Baltimore, he did manage to limit barrels as batters only barreled up his pitches 2.9% of the time. He also managed to get groundballs 60.9% of the time, something that could play well when paired with the Red Sox's infield. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox have begun to add to their spring training roster, naming seven non-roster invitees. While most names on the list are of no surprise, it also doesn’t close the book on other players being added as a non-roster invitee the closer we get to the team reporting to Fort Myers. The group of seven are made up of catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, right-handed pitchers Osvaldo Berrios, Hobie Harris, and Devin Sweet and left-handed pitchers Alec Gamboa and T.J. Sikkema. Among the seven players announced, six of them signed minor-league deals with the Red Sox across the offseason while the seventh (Harris) re-signed with the Red Sox on a minor-league contract back at the end of September. While non-roster invitees may not seem all too exciting, they help create competition in camp for the final few roster spots, along with exciting storylines. And, sometimes, they may even break camp with the team. Last season, the team saw non-roster invitees Kristian Campbell and Sean Newcomb make the team, while the likes of Trayce Thompson, Matt Moore, and Adam Ottavino created discussion pertaining to the back end of the roster. Overall, the group is comprised of veterans who have either limited experience in the majors or have spent several seasons in the minors as they attempt to showcase why they should be in the major leagues. Of the seven, four have some time spent on a major-league roster. Sikkema, a left-handed pitcher, signed with the Red Sox shortly before the announcement. Now 27 years old, he was a former first-round pick by the Yankees back in 2019 (39th overall). Last season, he split time in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization as he played for both Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox and right-handed pitcher Kutter Crawford have come to an agreement on a one-year deal for the 2026 season. The contract, which allows both sides to avoid heading to an arbitration hearing, is worth $2.75 million, which is the same amount Crawford made in 2025. Crawford, who missed the entire 2025 season due to various injuries, has been part of the Red Sox's pitching staff since making a spot start in 2021. The right-hander has bounced between the bullpen and rotation, but in 2024 was a key member of the rotation as he made 33 starts and tossed 183 2/3 innings. While home runs were an issue for Crawford in 2024, he provided the rotation with an arm that could provide innings every fifth day. It's uncertain what Crawford's role will be in 2026, but he should be one of the top candidates for the final job in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, and Johan Oviedo. The Red Sox have four arbitration-eligible players yet to agree to a deal. The team has until Thursday to come to an agreement with Triston Casas, Tanner Houck, Johan Oviedo, and Romy González. View full rumor

My exact thoughts. Get him to Greenville by Memorial Day and it could be really fun watching him the rest of the season

The Boston Red Sox are no strangers to finding players who manage to overcome expectations and turn into top prospects. Roman Anthony comes to mind as an example of that based on his time with the then Salem Red Sox. For Anthony, his first 42 games in 2023 with Low-A Salem made some people question why he was promoted — the then-19-year-old hit just hit .228/.376/.316 in 42 games. Yet, the Red Sox pushed him to High-A Greenville as his underlying metrics and data were far more bullish on his potential. Anthony had a keen understanding of the strike zone and wasn’t overmatched as he put the ball in play quite often. He was just exhibiting bad luck when it came to balls in play. The organization also felt that once he got out of Salem and played at Fluor Field with the Greenville Drive, his numbers would improve thanks in part to it being more of a hitter-friendly park than Carilion Clinic Field. By taking a deeper dive into a player’s abilities and how they’re looking on the diamond, there’s a chance the Red Sox could have another young, breakout prospect in their system right now. And ironically, his first experience of baseball in the United States is playing out very similar to how Anthony’s first taste of professional baseball did. Keep an eye on 18-year-old Enddy Azocar, who is beginning to make a name for himself as a prospect. He has the potential to break out in a huge way. Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Azocar played in 31 games for the Red Sox Dominican Summer League team in 2024, where, as a 17-year-old, he put up a slash line of .266/.397/.309. However, he lacked power, producing two doubles and a triple to go along with 11 RBIs. Still, that was more than enough for the Red Sox to justify bringing him stateside for the 2025 season, where he began in the Florida Complex League for just 14 games. Limited though the sample was, he proved that he was more than ready for tougher competition as he slashed .385/.448/.558 with seven doubles and a triple along with five RBIs despite being roughly a year and a half younger than the competition. The Red Sox decided to give him a shot for most of the 2025 season with Salem, where, as an 18-year-old, he was one of the youngest players in Low-A. It showed, at least if you looked at just his stats. Azocar’s hot start in the Complex League tailed off with Salem, appearing in 71 games for the team where he hit just .202/.273/.314 with nine doubles, a triple, six home runs and 26 RBIs. He also struck out 67 times to just 21 walks. However, when you take a deeper look at Azocar’s season, you'll begin to grow impressed. Azocar saw his 90th percentile exit velocity raise by seven mph, going from 98 mph in 2024 to 105.4 mph. Now, unlike regular exit velocity, the 90th percentile is the exit velocity that is pulled from the sample of the player's hardest hit balls. This is done to help measure a batter’s peak power potential along with their raw strength/ By using the 90th percentile over regular exit velocity, teams are able to project a player’s potential and ability to consistently hit for more extra-base hits as they grow older and mature into their frames. For someone playing in the majors, the average 90th percentile exit velocity tends to hover around 104 mph, while those above 105 mph help separate a player with elite power. Azocar had the largest gain in the system in 90th percentile despite being only 18 years old, makes his 105.4 mph mark rather impressive. To compare to Anthony, the young outfielder had a 90th percentile of 108.5 mph for the 2024 season while splitting time in more hitter-friendly parks. Azocar's max exit velocity was also impressive, his hardest hit baseball of the 2025 season being 110.6 mph. A number that ranked near the top for his age bracket. And while the strikeouts increased for Azocar during his time with Salem, the young outfielder showcased an ability to make solid contact, as his whiff rate for pitches in the strike zone sat at a low 18%. Despite making consistent contact and not chasing at an alarming rate, his lack of recognizing secondary pitches hurts, though at his age, the ability to differentiate between a fastball and an off-speed pitch or breaking ball will come with time and reps. Defensively, Azocar played all three outfield positions but saw the majority of his time come in center field upon his promotion to Salem. He has solid range, and thanks to his above-average speed, he can get to balls easily. However, he doesn’t seem likely to stick in center field in the long run as he continues to fill out and add strength to his game, with a move to one of the corner outfield positions seeming likely. Azocar’s power seems to be the real deal, but whether he can successfully utilize it will determine the kind of player he becomes. Right now, he needs to work on his launch angle and his attack angle at the plate. In 2025, he had a 44% groundball rate, a number too high for someone producing an elite 90th percentile exit velocity. Azocar will need to elevate the ball more to reach his full potential and truly break out in 2026. Growing pains are a natural part of the game, and development is rarely linear in baseball. Should Azocar show signs of improvement from his 2025 performance in Salem, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in Greenville at the age of 19. While predicting a player’s future can be tough, one thing is for certain: the Red Sox have a very intriguing prospect in their organization. He might be a few years away from realizing this potential, but Enddy Azocar has all the tools to become a top prospect in the team's farm system. View full article

The Boston Red Sox have announced important dates for spring training. as the team stated pitchers and catchers will report to Fort Myers on February 10. Pitchers and catchers will hold their first workouts before the rest of the team arrives; Sunday. February 15 will be the first full squad workout for the team before spring training swings into full motion. Before players arrive, however, the yearly tradition known as Truck Day has to take place. The team announced that the festive day will take place February 2. The team also announced that spring training tickets will be available for sale on Thursday, January 8. The Red Sox will play an exhibition game Friday, February 20 against Northeastern University before opening spring training play against the Minnesota Twins the following day. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox have spent the last half-decade rebuilding a minor-league system that lacked major-league-ready talent to help supplement the roster playing at Fenway Park. This movement towards developing, young, homegrown talent was needed after the 2018 World Series champions were supplemented by a mixture of young talent from the upper minors and by trading away other prospects to bring in key contributors like Steve Pearce and Nathan Eovaldi. Following 2018, the farm system was rather weak, being ranked the worst in the league by Baseball America. At the beginning of the 2019 season, the top 10 prospects in the organization included the likes of Michael Chavis, Darwinzon Hernández, Triston Casas, Bobby Dalbec, Tanner Houck, Jay Groome, Antoni Flores, CJ Chatham, Durbin Feltman, and Bryan Mata. Of those players, only two remain with the Red Sox, and three of them are planning on playing overseas in Japan for the 2026 season. Groome will be reinstated from his year-long suspension for sports betting, and both Chatham and Flores have been out of professional baseball since the end of the 2022 season. Feltman last pitched with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League in 2025 and Chavis recently signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Fast-forward from 2020 to the end of 2025, and the Red Sox have done a much better job of drafting and developing young players. It isn’t just the likes of Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer; the team saw players like Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle make the jump from MiLB to contribute important innings out of both the rotation and bullpen for a team fighting for a playoff spot. Guys like Jhostynxon Garcia and Brandon Clarke were used to bring in established rotation help in the form of Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. Now, after being ranked as the number one farm system entering 2025, the organization has been ranked as the 14th-best system by Baseball America. The farm system has been in flux, as Craig Breslow has completed 49 trades since he took over as the chief baseball officer. But it wasn’t just prospects being shipped out. Rather,, he both acquired major-league talent and replenished the minor-league depth through trades of end-of-roster guys like Chris Murphy and Brennan Bernardino. Despite ranking 14th now, the system is in no way lacking talent. It’s just that most of the top prospects now are in the lower minors. Outside of Tolle, Early, Franklin Arias, Mikey Romero and David Sandlin, the remaining top prospects have either played mostly in the low minors or have yet to make their professional debuts. Despite that, the organization has a lot of talent that could increase the organization’s ranking once games begin to get played. First-round pick Kyson Witherspoon is a player who could move quickly through the minors after falling to the Red Sox in the 2025 draft. Along with him are the likes of Justin Gonzales, who ended 2025 with Greenville and could see time in Portland in 2026 if he continues to produce offensively; Enddy Azocar, a young player with stronger underlying data than his .232/.302/.355 slash line suggests; and Henry Godbout, who slashed .341/.473/.477 in his first taste of professional baseball and is seen by many to be a potential breakout candidate in 2026. The system may look a little depleted after so many trades and graduations, but in reality, Breslow and the Red Sox have made sure to keep replenishing it as they go along. Newcomers in the system that should elicit interest include the likes of Luke Heyman, Jake Bennett, Isaiah Jackson, Ronny Hernandez, and Adonys Guzman. The farm system is doing well as the Red Sox have decided to cash in on some of the prospects they developed to bring in quality major-league talent. That ranking may look a lot different by the middle of the season depending on how the 2025 draft class looks early on. While they may not be in the top five, the Red Sox could see their ranking improve a few spots. Of course, no one knows what Breslow is thinking, and another blockbuster trade that sends out more prospects would see the ranking drop even more. But that’s what a farm system is for — to help create the best major-league team with talent from both inside and outside the organization. Not every prospect works out (as seen from the team’s top 10 in 2019) and sometimes a top-ranked farm system doesn’t equate to winning it all. By the end of 2018, the team had one of the worst systems but won it all since Dave Dombrowski mortgaged the future for the present. Those days are now long gone; the Red Sox have developed a mindset of not just building for the present, but to have a system that can continuously pump quality talent into the future. It's a difficult balance to strike, but the Sox appear more and more capable of it by the season. View full article

The Boston Red Sox are no strangers to breakout prospects. In 2023, the team saw Roman Anthony burst onto the stage and emerge as one of the best prospects in the sport, while 2024 saw the same happen with Kristian Campbell, as the young player made his way from High-A Greenville all the way up to Triple-A Worcester. Even just this past season, the team saw Payton Tolle become their latest breakout prospect alongside fellow left-handed pitcher Connelly Early as the duo both made their way to the majors to help the Red Sox with their push for the postseason. Now, with the Red Sox's farm system having graduated most of its top prospects, the question becomes: Who is set to emerge as the next big-name breakout in the organization? There are a few potential candidates, so let's analyze four under-the-radar prospects who could emerge as top-shelf stars. 3 Red Sox prospects with breakout potential in 2026 Henry Godbout – Second Base Godbout, who was drafted in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft, made his professional debut for High-A Greenville this past season, appearing in 13 games. While a small sample, the infielder did not disappoint as he put up a stat line of .341/.473/.477 to go along with six doubles and five RBIs. What makes Godbout a potential breakout prospect for the 2026 season is his contact ability. While he chases at a high rate, Godbout has a short swing that is direct to the ball that goes well with his strong hand-eye coordination and his feel for the nose of the bat. Along with that, Godbout has showcased an increase in his bat speed since being drafted, a skill the Red Sox have honed in on under Craig Breslow. Should Godbout’s power increase without sacrificing his elite hit tool, he could become a top prospect in the organization. The projection is due to the fact that Godbout fits the same mold of college bats the Red Sox have targeted in past drafts and is a strong candidate for their bat speed program. And despite his tendency to chase, Godbout is difficult to strike out thanks to his contact skills. Blake Wehunt – Pitcher Wehunt was drafted in the ninth round of the 2023 draft while Chaim Bloom was in charge. but has ended up checking off a lot of boxes that Craig Breslow looks for in pitching prospects. Standing at 6-foot-7 and have plus extension, Wehunt generates a lot of downhill force toward the plate. Currently sitting 93-96 mph, his fastball has shown life at the top of the zone and can also sink at the bottom, allowing Wehunt to change a batter's eye level with just one pitch. While his cutter, sweeper and splitter aren’t as good as his fastball, he is comfortable throwing the cutter and splitter for strikes. The 2025 campaign was a rough season for Wehunt if you look at just his numbers: 2-8 record, 5.68 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. But when you look deeper, you can see the improvements he's made. Wehunt had a 10.80 strikeout per nine innings, good for a strikeout rate of 27%. On the season, he had bad luck at times, as a .341 batting average on balls in play led to opponents hitting .258 against him and his FIP being 4.10 instead of his expected FIP of 3.61. His ERA of 5.68 was also inflated due to one bad start where he allowed seven earned runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Wehunt also missed over a month of the season due to a lat strain, possibly playing a role in his performance upon his return where he allowed 18 earned runs across 10 2/3 innings. A healthy 2026, along with continued development of secondary pitches, could see Wehunt become the next big pitching prospect to shoot up the rankings. Or, at worst, he could become a dominant reliever who either helps the big-league club eventually or is traded for major-league talent. Luke Heyman – Catcher Heyman was acquired at the 2025 Rule 5 roster protection deadline and honestly feels a bit early to be picked as a breakout candidate. He hasn’t played a single game in professional baseball yet. Still, he's got all the tools to thrive immediately in the Red Sox's sytem. Heyman was comfortable hitting fastballs in college but will need to show he can handle secondary pitches, especially against professional pitching. However, with plus power that goes with high exit velocities and good batted ball angles, he's going to hit the ball hard. His collegiate career proved that he could hit for power, and his final season, he also showed an improved ability to put the ball in play cutting back from 69 strikeouts his sophomore season to just 38 in his junior year (though he played in 15 less games). His ability to hit velocity was thanks in part to solid bat speed and his ability to stay balanced during his swing. Defensively, there's no clear position that stands out as a perfect home. However, his arm is the real deal. It currently is rated as being above average and helped him throw out quite a few runners in college. If he is at least close to being average when it comes to blocking pitches behind the plate, his arm could be the difference in whether he remains a catcher or moves elsewhere. Heyman’s potential for a breakout season will all depend on his health and how much playing time he gets due to the influx of catching talent in the lower levels of the Red Sox's minor league system this offseason. What do you think? Do you agree with these prospects as being potential breakout players, or do you feel there's someone else that should have been included? Leave your thoughts down below in the comments! View full article

The Boston Red Sox improved their offense just prior to Christmas, as they completed their fourth major trade of the offseason and second with the St. Louis Cardinals. The move, which brought over slugging first baseman Willson Contreras and $8 million in cash, saw the Red Sox send back three young and exciting pitchers. The headliner of the trade was fan-favorite Hunter Dobbins who made his major-league debut for the Red Sox in 2025. The right-hander provided valuable depth for the organization as he traveled up and down the Mass Pike throughout the season. Dobbins quickly endeared himself to the team thanks to his quality pitching, along with his immediate dislike of the Yankees, going as far to say that if only the Yankees offered him a contract, he would rather retire from the sport. Overall, Dobbins pitched in 13 games with Boston, making 11 starts. He would go on to finish the year with a 4-1 record while striking out 45 batters across 61 innings. Despite being a rookie, Dobbins anchored the back end of the rotation while the Sox battled injuries and inconsistency. While the month of May yielded some growing pains for Dobbins (16 earned runs over 28 1/3 innings), he turned a corner when it was needed; in June, he allowed just eight earned runs across 20 innings pitched, including a huge six inning, scoreless appearance against the New York Yankees on Father’s Day weekend. As a pitcher, Dobbins incorporates six pitches, using his fastball most often. While the right-hander was around average in chase rate (28.1%), his whiff rate and strikeout rate were both near the bottom of the league (21.9% and 17.6%, respectively). However, he managed to stay out of a lot of trouble thanks to an amazingly low walk rate (6.6%) and an ability to keep the ball on the ground at nearly a 50% rate. Dobbins’ season ended prematurely in July when he tore his ACL in his right knee during a start in July against the Tampa Bay Rays while covering first base. Dobbins was already down at Fort Myers earlier this offseason and had shown he was playing catch at the complex. His goal is to be ready for the start of the season — if he is, could crack the Opening Day rotation for the Cardinals. Also joining Dobbins on their way to St. Louis are two interesting minor-league pitchers in right-handers Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. Fajardo came to the Red Sox as the return from the trade that sent left-hander Cam Booser to the Chicago White Sox. Fajardo, while young, was a quick riser on Red Sox prospect lists. He opened the season allowing just one run in 20 2/3 innings in the Florida Complex League. Then, he would go on to finish the campaign starting 13 games for Single-A Salem, tossing 51 1/3 innings and striking out 59 batters. Fajardo still has some projection to grow, especially in his upper body. He relies on three pitches, a fastball that tops out at 97 mph, a slider that flashes bat-missing potential and a changeup that already shows good movement and occasional bat-missing ability. He also has a two-seam fastball he sometimes uses that has arm-side run and sink. Aita, on the other hand, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 Draft out of Kennesaw State. The right-hander pitched well in his first taste of professional baseball in 2025, making 23 appearances between Single-A Salem and High-A Greenville. Overall, he would go on to finish with a 5-7 record and a 3.98 ERA across 115 1/3 innings pitched. Aita showed better improvement upon reaching Greenville, pitching 64 1/3 innings while recording a 3.78 ERA, compared to just 51 innings and a 4.24 ERA with Salem. The right-hander throws a fastball, sweeper, cutter, and changeup, and all look to be at least average at this point. Aita took to the Red Sox pitching program well, as his fastball (which sat around 89-92 mph in college) averaged around 92-95 mph across the season. The fastball, along with his sweeper and cutter, also generated high spin rates. His sweeper alone reached over 3200 RPMs during the season and showcased strong bat-missing potential. While the Red Sox managed to bring in a much-needed offensive improvement, it was not without a big sacrifice. Thankfully, the Red Sox under Craig Breslow have overhauled their pitching development so that moves like this don’t hurt as much as they did in the past. The trade overall seems like a win for both sides, as the Red Sox got their offensive addition while Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals got younger and brought in interesting pitching prospects that should help accelerate their young rebuild. View full article